Chapter 9

Question 1

unions

Answer 1

organizations formed for the purpose of representing their members interests and resolving conflicts

Question 2

labour relations

Answer 2

emphasize skills that managers and union leaders can use to cultivate effective labour management corporation

Question 3

labour relations involves 3 levels of decisions

Answer 3

1. labour relations strategy
2. negotiating collective agreements (contracts)
3. administering collective agreements (contracts)

Question 4

labour relations strategy

Answer 4

involves how the org. will work with unions to develop (or maintain) non-union operations

Question 5

negotiating collective agreements

Answer 5

involve decisions about pay structure, job security, work rules, workplace safety, and other issues

Question 6

administering collective agreements

Answer 6

involve day-to-day activities where union members and the org. managers may have disagreements

Question 7

craft industrial unions

Answer 7

members have a particular skill or occupation

Question 8

public sector unions

Answer 8

represent employees who work in the public sector
- CUPE is the largest public sector union

Question 9

the Canadian labour congress (CLC)

Answer 9

• is Canada largest labour organization
• is the umbrella org. for dozens of affiliated Canadian and international union
• represents more than 3 million workers in Can.

Question 10

union local

Answer 10

consists of unionized workers from a particular department, location, industry, or sector that are covered by a collective agreement

Question 11

union steward

Answer 11

an employee elected by union members to represent them in ensuring terms of the agreement are adhered to

Question 12

the decline in union membership has been attributed to several factors including:

Answer 12

• change in the structure of the economy
• management efforts to control costs
• HR practices
• government regulations

Question 13

management goals (8)

Answer 13

• maximize profits
• efficient and cost-effective operations
• business competitiveness
• organizational change
• flexible work practices
• training and developing skills
• employment and pay equity
• variable pay

Question 14

labour union goals (8)

Answer 14

• improving wages and salaries
• employment and pay equity
• training and skill development
• pensions and health benefits
• employment security
• giving members a voice
• improving work conditions
• worker safety

Question 15

society goals (5)

Answer 15

• ensuring neutral rules to provide a balance of power between unions and employers
• generation of employment
• safety of workers and the public
• undisrupted supply of goods and services
  -prevention of unfair labour practices

Question 16

social unionism

Answer 16

union activities that involve engagement with social justice struggles beyond the workplace

Question 17

the Rand Formula

Answer 17

is a union security provision that makes the payment of labour union dues mandatory even if the worker is not a member of the union

Question 18

checkoff provision

Answer 18

the employer deducts union dues from employees’ paycheque (and remits the funds to the appropriate union)

Question 19

union membership (or contribution) provision

Answer 19

• the strongest union security is a CLOSED SHOP where a person must be a union before being hired
• the UNION SHOP is an arrangement that requires an employee to join the union within a certain time after beginning work

Question 20

main features of labour legislation in Canada:

Answer 20

• methods to certify a union
• requirement of the employer to recognize the union chosen
• responsibility to bargain in good faith
• employer required to deduct union dues from employees
• minimum length of collective agreement
• regulation of strikes and lockouts
• the creation of labour relations board
• prohibition of unfair labour practices

Question 21

unfair labour practices - MANAGEMENT

Answer 21

• interfering in the formation of a union
• discriminating based on union membership
• intimidating or coercing an employee to join/not join

Question 22

Labour Relations Board (LRB)

Answer 22

serves as a specialized quasi-judicial tribunal with the authority to interpret and ensure the labour laws in its jurisdiction

Question 23

unfair labour practices - UNIONS

Answer 23

• tyring to bargain with the union is not the certified agent
• failing to represent employees fairly
• illegal strikes

Question 24

decertifying

Answer 24

the right to vote out an existing union

Question 25

collective bargaining

Answer 25

a union negotiated on behalf of its members with management representatives to reach an agreement defining conditions of employment and to establish methods to resolve term of collective agreement

Question 26

collective bargaining stages

Answer 26

1. union and management do the groundwork for bargaining 2. exchange of demands and establishment of rules and procedures 3. reaching an agreement

Question 27

strikes and lockouts are costly and disruptive -- 3 alternatives for conflict resolution are:

Answer 27

1. mediation 2. conciliation 3. arbitration

Question 28

mediation

Answer 28

- least formal and most widely used - mediator listens to both sides and facilitates problem resolution - no formal authority for resolution

Question 29

conciliation

Answer 29

- conciliator helps identify reasons for the dispute - conciliator may recommend settlement but parties may decline

Question 30

arbitration

Answer 30

- most formal intervention - an arbitrator or arbitration board determines a binding settlement

Question 31

grievance procedure

Answer 31

process for resolving conflicts in a collective agreement

Question 32

grievance procedure - step 1

Answer 32

- employee and union steward discuss problem with the supervisor - union steward and employee decide whether the problem was resolved or if the contract was violated

Question 33

grievance procedure - step 2

Answer 33

- written grievance is submitted to the production manager - based on discussion of grievance with steward, management puts response into writing

Question 34

grievance procedure - step 3

Answer 34

- union appeals grievance to top management and senior labour relations staff - additional local or national union officers may be involved - decisions resulting from appeal are put into writing

Question 35

grievance procedure - step 4

Answer 35

- union decides whether to refer unresolved grievances to arbitration - union appeals grievance to arbitration for binding decision